Fire extinguisher grenade mounting



May 14, 1963 c. a HOLSWORTH ETAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER GRENADE MOUNTINGHNVENTD R5 HULSWURTH THOMAS E. HEILSYVD RTH .BY MM,

Filed June 22, 1961 EARL E.

United States PatentOfiice 3 ,089,547 Patented May 14, 1963 3,089,547FIRE EXTINGUISHER GRENADE MOUNTING Carl E. Holsworth, 610 Division St.,Huntington, Ind.,

and Thomas E. Holsworth, 5914 Dearborn St., Indianapolis, Ind.

Filed June 22, 1961, Ser. No. 118,952 2 Claims. (Cl. 16926) Thisinvention relates to a fire quenching device wherein there is a grenadeelement containing a nonfreezing liquid which upon being spread aboutthe fire area vaporizes and quenches the fire.

The grenade itself is in common usage and normally consists of a glasswalled vessel wherein there is a spheroidal base portion from whichextends a frustoconical section, this section terminating in a more orless cylindrical neck which is closed over at the end removed from thesection by a frangible wall normally made of thin glass.

These grenades have been supported in a space to be protected againstfire by a large number of means, generally consisting of a wall bracketcarrying the grenade in an upside position with the cylindrical or necksection directed downwardly and into the path of a plunger which isemployed to fracture the cover to permit outflowing of the fluid fromthe grenade.

It is the object of the present invention herein shown and described inone particular form to provide a support for the grenade in a verysimple and yet most effective manner which will retain the sectionclosure at all times in close proximity to and directly over thebreakingplunger. In some supporting devices, the grenade is not always supportedto have the breakable closure presented by a breakable area directlyover the plunger, and the grenade frequently may shift its posi- (notshown) may enter and be carried into the wall. An encircling wallgenerally designated by the numeral 13 flares outwardly from each sideof the back wall 11 in substantially straight lines 14 and '15respectively to merge into a generally circular top peripheral portion15 of the wall 13'. From this peripheral portion 15, the wall 13 slopesinwardly and downwardly to a base 16 which is generally fiat or planar,the rear edge portion of which merges into the bottom of the back wall-1 1. Preferably there is a groove or valley 17 around the bottom 16between it and the lower ends of the wall 13.

The lower portion of the curving wall 13 adjacent the base 16 isprovided with a plurality of perforations 18.

A post 19 slidably passes substantially vertically through the base 16and has an upper head extending angularly and outwardly therearound andfixed thereto. Between the head 20 and the topside of the base 16 is acoil spring 21 resting by its lower end against the floor 16 by itsupper end under the head 20, surrounding the post 19, FIG. 4. A pair offingers 22 and 23 are inserted freely through a slot 24 extendinglongitudinally through a restraining clip 25. These fingers 22 and 23are carried from the clip 2-5 through notches 26 and 27 on oppositesides of the post 19 below the floor .16, FIG. 4, and on beyond to eachhave a portion 28 and 29 overlapping one 3 another at a distance fromthe post 19, FIGS. 5 and 6.

These two members 28 and 29 are fused together by a low melting materialwhich readily melts at temperatures at the kindling temperatures ofmaterials being protected against fire damage. In other words, these twomembers 28 and 29 are pulled one over the other sufficiently to retainthe fingers 22 and 23 in engagement with the post tion particularly whensome house cleaner dusts the upper'side of the grenade and mightaccidentally rock the grenade in its holder.

It is the object of the present invention to prevent rocking of thegrenade after it is placed within the holder,

and also to presentthe breakable cover properly toward the breakingplunger.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention includingsimplicity and ease of manufacture as well as the low cost ofmanufacturing, will become apparent to those versed in the art in thefollowing descrip- I tion of the one particular form of the invention asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a view infront elevation of a grenade holding bracket structure to which theinvention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a'top plan view of the bracket only and on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the bracket on the line 3-3 in FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a detail in vertical elevation and partial section of thegrenade breaking plunger and operating mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a detail in vertical section of the lower fuse member normallyretaining the plunger in an inoperative position;

FIG. 6 is a view in transverse section on the line 6-6 in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a grenade locating member.

A bracket generally designated by the numeral 10 is made out of anysuitable material preferably rigid, and usually plastic molded to shape.This bracket 10 has a vertical back wall 11 which is normally presentedto a wall (not shown) for support. Said support may be of any desiredconstruction, herein shown as a hole 12 through which some attachingmember such as a screw 'siderable force.

19 across the notches 26 and 27 in a leverage action .whereby the twofingers 22 and '23 bear against the outer .end portions of the slot 24.Preferably the outer free end portions of the fingers 22 and 23 are bentin reverse directions so as to prevent the tip 25 from sliding free of,the fingers until the bonding fuse material melts between the endportions 28 and 29.

The spring 21 is sufliciently compressed to urge the clip 25 up againstthe underside of the bottom 16, FIG. 5, so that there is suificientenergy stored up in the spring 21 to fire the plunger 19 verticallyupwardly with con- So much of the device described is well known toportion 32 terminating in a cylindrical neck '33, the outside endportion of which is covered over by a breakable cover 34, usually glassfused over that opening into the wall of'the grenade 30 which is alsonormally made of glass. Before the sealing operation, the extinguishingfluid is placed Within the grenade 30 with the neck 33 in an upwardlydirected position. This grenade 30' is inverted in placing it Within thebracket 10 to have the cover portion 34 positioned over the head 20 ofthe plunger 19 as indicated in FIG. 3. Within the bracket 10 there isformed a spheroidal section pad 35 centrally of the wall 13 opposite theback Wall 11, and extending downwardly from the top periphery 15, thispad 35 being formed to the contour of the grenade 30 to provide apartial seat for the forward side of the grenade. This pad being curvedto fit the contour of the side wall of the grenade serves to preventrolling of the grenade on its central axis in conjunction with thecontact of the opposite side of the grenade 30 with the back wall -11.Also in most cases, the juncture of the neck 33- and the closure 34designated by the numeral 36 can bear against the back wall 11, againsta thickened portion 37 normally provided with an arcuate face directedtoward that juncture 36.

However one other possible action of the shifting of the grenade 30 inthe bracket is quite possible and sometimes happens unless furtherprovision is made to prevent that shifting.

To this end, there is provided the horseshoe washer 38 planar in shapeand having an opening 39 to allow the legs 40 and 41 of the washer 38 tostraddle the neck 33 closely, and with the grenade 30 in the diagonalposition shown in FIG. 3, contact the juncture of the frustoconicalportion of the wall and the neck 33 at the junction 42, by the circularinner end portions 43 between the legs 40 and 41.

This washer 38 may be made an integral part of the bracket 10, but moreconveniently and more cheaply is made as a separate part. The outercontour of the washer 38, designated by the numeral 44 is in closecontact therearound With the sloping wall 13. The ends of the legs 40and 41 are straight lines in the present showing, and will bear againstthe back Wall L1. The bracket 10 is provided with a pair of abutments45' and 46 on the back wall 11 on the top ends of which rest the freeends of the legs 40 and 41. This washer is preferably fixed in positionto the bracket 10 by any suitable means where it is made separately,such as by some adhesive or cement applied to at least a limited zonearound the periphery 44 and to the end portions of the legs 40 and 41.

Now with the neck portion 33 inserted through the opening 39 of thewasher 38, the grenade can not rock fore and aft in relation to thebracket 10, and neither can it rock laterally of the bracket, that is indirections substantially parallel with the back Wall 11.

With this horseshoe washer 38 combined with the bracket 10, the grenade30 may be lowered within the bracket 10 with a feeling of security thatthe lower frangible cover 34 will not come into abrupt contact with thepost head 20 and thereby release the fluid accidentally. With theinclined position of the grenade 30 as indicated in FIG. 3, the head 20of the bolt 19 when the members 28 and 29 are released by sufficientheat being applied to melt the fusing material, will strike the closingcover '34 to break the cover 34 rather than causing a shifting of thegrenade 30 in reaction to the blow of the head 20. The grenade 30 cannotrock in any direction axially under this head impact, and that grenade30 cannot be placed within the bracket 10 incorrectly in respect to thelocating of the cover 34 in reference to the head 20.

Therefore it is to be seen that we have provided an extremely simpledevice of considerable importance in the mounting and holding of thesefire fighting grenades which normally will be in position over period ofyears without being used, but which must always be ready for immediateaction and a positive action when the fire occurs. It is to be pointedout that in the normal action,

once the cover 34 is broken, the fluid will flow down within the bracket10 onto the floor '16 and around the groove 17 and flow out theperforations 18 so that this flow is retarded to permit vaporization andat the same time permit some of the fluid to be immediately availableoutside of the bracket 10 for vaporization in the atmosphere within thespace where the fire occurs.

Therefore while we have shown the invention in the one particular form,it is obvious that structural changes may be employed, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, and we therefore do not desire to belimited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposedby the following claims.

We claim:

1. Means loosely self-locating a container of fire quenching liquidhaving essentially a spheroidal body from which a frangible ended neckextends, comprising an upper open ended bracket having a back suspendingwall, a fioor, and a front and side enclosure extending forwardly fromthe side of said wall and said floor in an inverted, approximatelyconoidal shape; an arcuate surfaced seat within said enclosure adjacentthe upper end thereof opposite said back wall and shaped to conform toand surround a limited area of said spheroidal body spaced essentiallyprimarily below the major transverse diametrical plane of the body withthe opposite side of the body riding against said back wall whereby thebody is retained against rolling laterally across said wall, and saidneck is directed downwardly within said bracket; a washer in the natureof a diaphragm having a contour following that of said conoidal wall atan elevation spaced above said floor and below the spheroidal body andextending approximately horizontally to abut said back wall; said washerbeing slotted a distance from said back wall and of that width whichreceives said neck therethrough freely and limited in length to directthe neck substantially against said back wall with a central axisthrough the neck and the body inclined outwardly and upwardly from saidback wall; and a heat triggered plunger carried by said floor inalignment with said neck end; said bracket being perforate adjacent saidfloor.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which said washer is verticallysupported by hearing downwardly on the inner periphery of said conoidalwall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,870,872 Roessner Aug. 9, 1932 1,898,476 Banes Feb. 21, 1933 1,916,351Whitman July 4, 1933 2,082,090 Wittig June 1, 1937 2,127,395 Evans Aug.16, 1938 2,470,371 Roessner May 17, 1949 2,607,429 Schnoir Aug. 19, 1952

1. MEANS LOOSELY SELF-LOCATING A CONTAINER OF FIRE QUENCHING LIQUIDHAVING ESSENTIALLY A SPHEROIDAL BODY FROM WHICH A FRANGIBLE ENDED NECKEXTENDS, COMPRISING AN UPPER OPEN ENDED BRACKET HAVING A BACK SUSPENDINGWALL, A FLOOR, AND A FRONT AND SIDE ENCLOSURE EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROMTHE SIDE OF SAID WALL AND SAID FLOOR IN AN INVERTED, APPROXIMATELYCONOIDAL SHAPE; AN ARCUATE SURFACE SEAT WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE ADJACENTTHE UPPER END THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID BACK WALL AND SHAPED TO CONFORM TOAND SURROUND A LIMITED AREA OF SAID SPHEROIDAL BODY SPACED ESSENTIALLYPRIMARILY BELOW THE MAJOR TRANSVERSE DIAMETRICAL PLANE OF THE BODY WITHTHE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BODY RIDING AGAINST SAID BACK WALL WHEREBY THEBODY IS RETAINED AGAINST ROLLING LATERALLY ACROSS SAID WALL, AND SAIDNECK IS DIRECTED DOWNWARDLY WITHIN SAID BRACKET; A WASHER IN THE NATUREOF A DIAPHRAGM HAVING A CONTOUR FOLLOWING THAT OF SAID CONOIDAL WALL ATAN ELEVATION SPACED ABOVE SAID FLOOR AND BELOW THE SPHEROIDAL BODY ANDEXTENDING APPROXIMATELY HORIZONTALLY TO ABUT SAID BACK WALL; SAID WASHERBEING SLOTTED A DISTANCE FROM SAID BACK WALL AND OF THAT WIDTH WHICHRECEIVES SAID NECK THERETHROUGH FREELY AND LIMITED IN LENGTH TO DIRECTTHE NECK SUBSTANTIALLY AGAINST SAID BACK WALL WITH A CENTRAL AXISTHROUGH THE NECK AND THE BODY INCLINED OUTWARDLY AND UPWARDLY FROM SAIDBACK WALL; AND A HEAT TRIGGERED PLUNGER CARRIED BY SAID FLOOR INALIGNMENT WITH SAID NECK END; SAID BRACKET BEING PERFORATE ADJACENT SAIDFLOOR.